Police use spike strips to halt a stolen car pursuit

Medford police arrested two men in a stolen car after a chase that tore through northwest Medford Wednesday evening.

By RYAN PFEIL

Medford police arrested two men in a stolen car after a chase that tore through northwest Medford Wednesday evening.

Tyler Scott McCauley, 21, of Central Point, was arrested on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempting to elude police in a vehicle, attempting to elude police on foot and reckless driving. He was booked into the Jackson County Jail, but was later released, jail records show.

James Eugene Jackson, 42, no address given, was arrested on a parole violation stemming from a past unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. He was held in jail without bail Thursday.

The pursuit began at about 7 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Howard and Berrydale avenues, just off Highway 99, when a police officer spotted a silver 2005 Suzuki Vitara, which had been reported stolen on May 4 from an apartment complex in the 700 block of Crater Lake Avenue.

When the officer began to follow the car, it sped away. Police lost sight of the vehicle at Mason Way and Sage Road, but it was spotted again heading east on Mason Way.

Police deployed spike strips, which deflated the two passenger-side tires and forced the car to stop at the Mason-Sage intersection. McCauley, Jackson and an unidentified female bolted from the vehicle and ran off in different directions. Jackson was caught in the Pet Country parking lot, and McCauley was apprehended in the parking lot of Advantage Tire.

The female has not been apprehended, but her identity is known, said police, who declined to release her name, saying she has not yet been charged and may be treated as a witness.

Court records show Jackson has numerous felony convictions on drug, theft and robbery charges stretching back to 1989.

McCauley has open theft and drug charges, but he has pleaded not guilty in both cases, court records show.

Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or rpfeil@mailtribune.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.